LEEDS half-back Danny McGuire looks certain to miss the Gillette Tri-Nations Series after being told he needs to undergo groin surgery.

LEEDS half-back Danny McGuire looks certain to miss the Gillette Tri-Nations Series after being told he needs to undergo groin surgery.

The 22-year-old played in all five of Great Britain's matches in last year's tournament and was expected to be named in coach Brian Noble's final squad later today.

However, the player revealed in the wake of Saturday's 15-6 Grand Final defeat by Bradford he has been struggling with a groin injury for the last five weeks and has been told that surgery is the only cure.

A Leeds spokesman confirmed McGuire would be booked in for an operation "as soon as possible".

McGuire missed five matches for his club earlier in the season in order to have minor groin surgery and was also out for a month with a broken hand.

But he still managed to score 23 tries in 27 appearances including the Rhinos' solitary effort at Old Trafford and his likely absence is another blow to Britain's hopes of going one step further than last year, when they lost in the final to Australia.

Noble has also been deprived of the services of captain Paul Sculthorpe, full-back Kris Radlinski, hooker Terry Newton and prop Paul King.

Noble is expected to trim his initial train-on squad of 40 to 23 or 24 and reserve the right to add players from the England team which plays France at Headingley next Sunday.